Due date.

Today is my first due date.  I say first because we have two: 30th March and 2nd April (two different ultrasounds).  So as some people call it, it's not a "due date" but a "guess date".

I have to say, I am getting quite restless and I notice no change.  I felt what I thought was a contraction the other day, and got all freaked out and exited... but then it never happened again.  So, I should just hold my horses...

She'll come when she's ready.  Let's hope it's soon!

 

In the meantime, everything is ready!

Belly.

Fascinating how there's someone in there and soon she'll be out and be a whole person!  Does it take that little to build a human being?  Amazing. 
Can't wait to meet you princesita. 
Te amo, Mami.

Rafa and the baby.

Rafa had a birthday, he turned 3!!  We are both exited and anxious to see how he reacts to the baby.  So far, he's been the baby of the house, and even though we do our best to treat him like the dog he is, and give him discipline, exercise and love, he is pretty stubborn like the terrier he is.  He is good with children but there have been some episodes, so, we went to a behavior specialist here in Bergen and have been trying to follow a training program as well as a detachment program, so he understands that he needs to be more independent.  So far, we have noticed a difference in the way he behaves at home, he is much better with guests and is more quiet and relaxed.  He is also much better at being alone for periods of time.  He still sucks when it comes to meeting other dogs on the street....  We'll see.  Will they become best friends??? We sure hope so.  That would be the greatest thing!

Lately

How nice to finally wear other than my Hunter boots!

This was a lovely weekend!

One and a half weeks away from my "due date", although, Jonas says that the first date we got on the very first ultrasound was the 30th of March and that according to experts, it is way more accurate, because the growth of the fetus at 12 weeks is more regular than later on, so they can predict more precisely.  If that is the case, then I am only 9 days away from due date.  Either way, she'll come whenever she wants to come, or whenever she feels ready.  All the same.  I just want to meet her now!!!  I think we all do.

In the meantime, I've kept myself busy, trying not to have to much free time on my hands.  I started maternity leave 2 weekends ago and since then, time seems to go veeeery slow, but looking back from today, it seem like it flew!

Our friends, Cecilie and Anders, came to visit with food included.

They made us a lovely duck pie.  We made dessert: "Pioneer Woman's Tiramisu".  

Great night, great company, great food.  Gotta love our friends.

I've been sewing, cooking meals to freeze for when we are to busy to do it, practicing some yoga and hypnobirthing techniques, hanging out with Jonas, visiting the family, hanging out with Rafa,  walking with Rafa while listening to cool audiobooks, hanging out with friends that come visit me, working on my piece for the exhibition in April (almost finished!), cleaning up my working space at KHiB, cleaning up at home....busy, busy, busy!

 

Latest baby project, a tiny bubble summer onesy, made from

a scarf I found on sale at HM.  I just improvised, no pattern.

I have been also making baby pants and bloomers for friends, 

curtains for our bedroom, some birthday presents and having 

fun with the good ol' sewing machine.  I LOVE IT!

Baby bubble pants tutorial.

My machine is now fixed!  Which is great because I can continue with my self-teaching and with my nesting while the little one comes.  It's only 4 weeks to my due date now, so it's getting closer, more exiting, and also heavier.

I made this pants for a friend's baby boy, and I will give a few step by step pictures of how I made them.

The first step was to copy the pattern.  This is how I did it:  I took some baby pants that I had and liked  and contoured them into a piece of paper.  Then I just extended the sides 2 more centimeters and cut the pattern.

 

This patter paper cut was for a newborn size, so for the pants I am 

making now, I extended myself even more so they would be extra

puffy and a bit bigger so the baby can use them longer.  

(Fold fabric in 4 or place 4 pieces of the same size and copy the 

paper pattern on top, then cut)

 

You will have 4 sides that mirror each other.   Put together

2 and 2 (right sides facing each other) and pin the top curved part.

Now, zigzag the very side (to keep neat). This step 

will be repeated on every side that needs to be sewed.

This is how it will look after you 

have sewn the side.

Now do the other side and when done, place the 2 sides 

right sides facing each other. Pin them together, except 

from top and the bottom of the legs.

After pinning, sew the sides, just like this. 

Now, feet and waist. Fold and iron. 

That means now zigzag edge.  So, fold first about

 1cm, iron, then sew.

Now, make another fold, this time a bit bigger.  There should be enough

space for the elastic that you will put in.  Then iron and then sew.

When sewing, leave about a 1cm opening to introduce

the elastic.  You do this same process on both feet and the waist.

 This is how the pants look with sewed top and feet.

Now cut 3 pieces of elastic.  2 shorter for the feet, 1 longer for the waist.

Now, the last step.  With help of a safety pin, introduce the elastic

into the openings and tie together.  

DONE!

I am so sorry if the instructions are confusing.  Please feel free to ask if any doubts.  I will try to help as much as I can manage.  Also, please note, I DON'T HAVE ANY TECHNIQUE, I learned this on my own, so, my instructions are probably not very correct, but they work for me :D

Good luck!

 

Oh well...

My sewing machine is not working.  I have no clue what happened to it!  So, I find myself with nothing to do today.  Well, nothing that I had planned... which sort of leaves me a bit overwhelmed with freedom!

I decided to play some music and found a good old friend... Elliott Smith.

Oh how I love Elliott Smith! It reminds me of Jonas, on how we met, how we fell in love, our first kiss, the first song he played me, all we've been through, and how we now are married, live in our own apartment, have a dog and a baby coming in just a few weeks.

When we were apart (and there was no Skype), all I needed to do was play Elliott Smith and I would instantly feel better... or sometimes worse and just start crying to the songs... I thought Jonas was as mellow as Smith. When I met him. And that he sang very like him as well... soft and mellow. That was actually the first thin I told Jonas when I met him the day he arrived to Costa Rica and me and my brother picked him up in the airport: God! You are so mellow! (WHO SAYS THAT TO A GUY THEY JUST MET???????? ME! And I ended up marrying him.)

Cloth diapering... (update below)

 

Prefolds starting pack from Nøstebarn

 We have decided to give it a try and use cloth diapers.  We do not intend to do it the 100% orthodox way.  We understand that it might be more comfortable to use disposables in case of trips and holidays with no washer available.  But, while at home and on an everyday basis, we will give it a try.  We know it will be extra work, but having a baby is all about routines, right? The cloth diapering world is pretty big, with lots of choices (another nightmare just like choosing a pram), with choices ranging from the good old prefold that our parents used with us, to an all in one super cute with amazing designs diaper, which is almost like a disposable but you through it in the washer.  Most of the advice I read is to go with the simplest, being the cotton prefold with a cover because it dries faster and you can buy a whole bunch with out spending too much...  We also read about using wool shorts as covers because they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter and super absorbent.

Disana diaper pant in 100% eco-wool from Bleieboden

 But there is the PUL (which I suppose is a poliester cover material with lots of absorbency) cover that is light and fresh...  Aaaah, a nightmare to choose!

 

Imse Vimse diaper covers

 Any advice on the matter?  Recommendations are very welcome!
 .........
UPDATE:
Here's what we ended up doing.  We (I) started to freak out about not having diapers for when the little lady comes, I mean, it could be any time now.  So, we bought our stash yesterday following our new acquired parental instinct. 

We got:

• 12 pack of prefolds from Nøstebarn 
• 5 "brillebokser" (they are a cotton cover to tighten up the prefold and avoid spills)
• 7 Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold (we bought ALL they had)
• 4 Ecologic prefolds from Bleieboden
• 2 Applecheeks covers size 1. (in lime and chocolate)
• 1 Imse Vimse Fox Fibre cover size newborn in Olive.
• 1 Wool cover for the nights
• rice paper for later on.
• (All in all we have 20 prefolds+4 covers to start).

I have to admit, I am very proud we took this road.  We always have the possibility of using disposables when we are away or in case of a long trip, but, day to day, we feel like we are collaborating with the planet, helping our baby's bum stay rash free and just making ourselves get into the routine.  I mean, our mothers did it and survived right?  So why can't we? I'm sure my friends and family from Costa Rica will think I'm crazy and I am complicating myself by doing this, but here's my answer:  we have no maid, no car, share a washing machine with others, do everything ourselves, so yes, it might seem like much, but, we still have to wash so we just do it more often, we spend much less money in diapers and avoid having to run to the supermarket when we accidentally run out, the system is not more complicated, the only difference is that they are reusable, they are better for the baby's skin, damage the environment way less, are super cute and last all the way through potty training.  We even get money back (40% of what we spent) from the community for not using disposable diapers.  Why not? I say.  So we ended up spending less than 180 USD for diapers that will last us more than half way to potty training. 

No pattern!!!

Remember the baby pants I found online the other day? The ones I've beet trying to find an easy pattern for? Well, I just ran out of patience and tried to make them on my own. No pattern! Well... I made my own pattern which was basically to copy another pair of big pants and make them extra big so they would be more puffy, also, cut the legs so they would become shorts instead of pants. I will try to make a tutorial step by step so more people can also make them, but for now, just behold of my creation! I am pretty proud of myself! They turned out really cute for someone who is just learning how to sew (and I am not ashamed of my lack of modesty!).